


Change of Heart

by Starrcrossrose



Category: Dragon Ball Z
Genre: Day At The Beach, Family, Love, One Shot, Reflection, Repentance, Vacation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-01
Updated: 2019-12-01
Packaged: 2021-03-03 11:15:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21623719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starrcrossrose/pseuds/Starrcrossrose
Summary: A day at the beach and a change of heart.
Relationships: Bulma Briefs/Vegeta
Comments: 8
Kudos: 74





	Change of Heart

**Author's Note:**

> Have this unedited thing I found in my notes! I thought it was cute. I hope you like it✌🏻

She had been watching him all week, from a distance. Watching how he interacted with Trunks, sure, but mostly with Bulla. He was different with her, she noticed. Bulma had always known that men here on earth treated daughters differently, that they would normally have soft spots for their baby girls. She didn't know why she thought it would be different with Vegeta.

Maybe she thought that because of his history with Trunks when he was Bulla's age. How Vegeta pushed Trunks to train, to be stronger than anyone and everyone he knew. To maybe be stronger than Vegeta and Goku someday. It had worried Bulma, angered her even, when her husband had pushed Trunks like that. They had argued endlessly over it all the way up to the time of Buu arriving and slowly picking off all the strongest fighters on earth. Up until Buu had also claimed Vegeta's life.

She didn't know why she thought Vegeta would be just as cold or hardened with Bulla.

Bulma couldn't help the smile on her face as she watched Vegeta sit beside Bulla on the beach. Their daughter was building little mounds in the damp sand, packing it together with her tiny hands before tossing a sly look in her father's direction. Vegeta was pretending not to pay attention, Bulma knew. In fact, Bulma had learned nearly all of Vegeta's body language by now, and by the slight shift in his shoulders towards his daughter, and the relaxed pose as he stared out over the ocean, told her he was focusing on her fully.

Bulla glanced up again and, this time, Vegeta turned his head toward her. At first, she seemed almost shy, but then her tiny hands held up the balls of packed sand and she smiled brightly. Bulma couldn't quite hear her daughter's voice over the sound of the crashing waves, but the slight, pink heat in her husband's cheeks told her it was something cute. Their daughter was still learning to talk, and she only knew a handful of smaller words, but one of her first was "papa", and Bulma could tell that's what she was saying now by reading her lips.

Vegeta tossed a glance back in Bulma's direction, trying to study her expression behind her sunglasses. She merely smiled and said nothing, her laid-back posture in the lounge chair indicating that she wasn't going to tease him. At least, not right now. Bulma usually pulled those cards out when they were most useful to her, but lately that was the rarest of occurances. Vegeta had changed so much over the years, had become far less cold and distant. Definitely less angry. The self-hatred he had carried for most of his life seemed nearly non-existent now, and for that she was grateful. 

After another moment, Vegeta looked back to Bulla, who stood out against the sand in her bright blue and pink swimsuit and white beach jacket. Her blue hair was tied up in two, spikey little pigtails atop her head, and Bulma was reminded of the slight similarities between her daughter and husband. Not in attitude of course, at least not yet, but in face and hair shape. Everything else about her was very reminiscent of Bulma when she was that age, and even a little now. It was the strangest thing, having two kids that looked so much like her. Vegeta had told her he was glad for it, glad they didn't look like him, but Bulma told him he was wrong. They were like him in the best of ways; they carried his spirit, his determination to be the best, and his will to move forward. Sure, Bulma knew she was like that too, but not nearly at the level of her husband. She saw Vegeta in Trunks every day, and was beginning to sew the the barest hints of him in Bulla. Their daughter had started to imitate Vegeta's scowl when she was upset, and had even fired tiny balls of warm ki whenever having a fit. It was cute in the most alien of ways. 

Vegeta leaned down to his daughter and said something, his gravelly tone carrying in the breeze to her. He was speaking to Bulla so softly... almost as if he was afraid to scare her. It warmed Bulma's heart to no end. She shut her eyes and listened to the raspy tones of her husband as he talked to Bulla, the child squeaking her replies back with happy fervor. 

She must have drifted off because next thing she knew, a warm hand was pressing against her thigh and giving her a small shake. Bulma woke to see the sun had shifted a bit, the light starting to touch her bare legs. Vegeta was crouched beside her, holding Bulla in one arm as he frowned at her. "You're gonna get a sunburn."

"Is that concern in your voice?" She teased, stretching her arms above her head and arching her back just slightly. The blush that creeped up into Vegeta's cheeks at the intentional rise of her chest was victory enough.

"No, just facts. Stop acting vulgar, especially in front of our child."

"Oh come on," she chided, sitting up and grinning. "She doesn't understand that kind of stuff yet."

"She will never understand it." Vegeta lifted himself slightly so he could sit on the edge of the lounge chair. "I forbid her to ever have a single vulgar thought in her head."

Bulma laughed at this. "Well, I can agree with you on that! It's hard to watch kids grow up sometimes." She felt her smile turn wistful. "Just... look at Trunks. He's already 14... it feels like he should still be a little baby."

Vegeta huffed, but the sound of it was full of pride. "He will be fine. He's strong."

"It isn't about that, Vegeta." She gave a playful snort and light punch to the arm. "It's about him growing so quickly! But, you're right, he's strong. He takes after his father."

To that, Vegeta said nothing, but looked back down to Bulla who was looking between them with a slight pout. Then, Vegeta did something that surprised her. He let a low sound, almost like a pur. The sound rumbled through his chest and he gave a nearly playful glare to Bulla, eyes scrunching up. Their daughter squeaked and then burst into a fit of giggles, her eyes bright and soft as she looked up at her father. "Papa!"

Bulma couldn't help it. She fell into a matching fit of giggles with her daughter, watching Vegeta's heart melt right in front of her. Watched as he held her closer and set his nose into her little pigtails, blushing hard even as his gaze looked anywhere but at them. This only made Bulla laugh harder, the sensation of her dad's nose on her head apparently amusing, and Vegeta had to fully turn his head away. Bulma laughed even harder, the entire scene so unexpected and cute, she almost felt like her husband was another person. 

When Bulla finally came out of her giggling, she spied her mother and reached out for her. "Mama! Mama!"

Vegeta handed her over, still looking away as he tried to pull himself together. Bulma was suddenly grateful that she hadn't invited the whole group like she had originally planned. This was the most time he had spent with Bulla in weeks, especially with all the extra training time he had taken on. He just never knew when to quit, and even though she admired his will and his strength, she had missed him terribly around the house. He almost refused to come when she said they should come out to their new beach house. But when she had expressed that he needed to spend more time with Bulla because their daughter missed him, he hadn't been able to refuse. It hadn't really been a lie... but Bulma had missed him too and just wanted him to herself for a few days.

"Bulma." Vegeta's voice shook her from her thoughts, her free hand stroking Bulla's head. He was still looking out over the sand and water, hands now clasped together between his open legs. "I'm sorry."

She blinked, confused, then snorted softly. "Sorry? You're never sorry."

"No, I mean..." he hesitated, then turned just enough for her to see the side of his face. "I'm... I wasn't really around for Trunks. I know I wasn't, and yet that boy still respects me. And now, I have another chance and I've... I haven't been home. I'm sorry."

She felt her heart squeeze, a flood of pure love washing over her as she leaned forward to rest her head against the back of his shoulder. "Oh honey, I appreciate the apology. But listen, your kids are gonna love you no matter what. I do want you around more, but I know how important your training is to you."

Her husband sighed, shoulders slumping slightly. "Bulma, don't pretend this is just about the children. You wanted me to be here too, right?"

"I mean... yes. But the kids are more important than me."

"Not true. You're all important and I know I've been busy. I'll do my best to be home more." He turned to face her then, one of his muscular legs coming up to rest alongside hers. He looked down at Bulla, who glanced up at him and gave him the purest, brightest little smile and giggle. Vegeta flinched, the red brush of heat painting his face once more. He lowered his face into a hand as both girls giggled again. Vegeta mumbled into his large hand. "How can something so small make me feel so powerless?" 

"That's daughters for ya." Bulma laughed, leaning in to kiss her husband's cheek. He gave her a scowl through his fingers, but didn't pull away. "And beautiful wives, too."

He only growled in fake annoyance and watched as Bulla fell asleep slowly in her mother's arms. It warmed Bulma's heart to see him so attentive. He had changed so much; he was still changing. And she couldnt be prouder of her family than she was in that moment.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I really don't remember writing this, lol. It was cute tho, so I figured posting wouldn't hurt :)


End file.
